PE Update: Fourth Graders Travel Back to the Ancient Olympics
The Ancient Greeks are not the only ones who love a good athletic competition! Our fourth graders took their learning from the classroom to the fields this week by competing in the first annual Greek Olympics! The students were sworn into the games with the Olympic oath and showed their grit and determination when competing in their assigned events. Each city-state, Argos, Athens, Corinth, Megara, and Sparta, competed in a wide assortment of events: 3-stade race, standing long jump, javelin, discus, shot-put, relay race, meta-boxing, and the fan-favorite–chariot race. Overall, it was proven yet again, that all of our athletes completed amazing athletic feats while displaying even greater acts of sportsmanship.
– Abbey Nyland, physical education teacher
Seventh Graders Create ‘Hunger Games’ Arenas/Ecosystems
In seventh grade science, students have been tasked with using what they learn about how the earth’s ecosystems are formed in order to design an arena for a new Hunger Games film. As a group of arena designers, the seventh grade teams have been working on answering questions such as: how the geological structures in their areas were made, what natural resources it has, and how its organisms will interact. Each group then presented their arena design to the director as a candidate for the next film. Finally, each student then created a self-guided tour of their group’s arena, so that the director has additional materials to consider as she makes her decision. Their fantastic models and self-guided tours will be on display in the Barn lobby next week. Hopefully, faculty and students across many grades will stop by to check them out!
– Leal Carter, grades 7 & 8 science teacher
First Grade Studies the Power of Public Art
First grade students are wrapping up a social studies unit on art and activism. After discussing community activism and its purpose, we learned about how murals can spread messages of change and uplift communities. First graders were inspired and eager to create their very own community mural at BDS. They went to work brainstorming issues they wanted to address and share with the community. Next, students sketched individual puzzle pieces for the mural, while considering how their illustrations and words could best communicate their messages. This week, we finished up the last step–painting our puzzle pieces! We invite students and faculty to come check out our young muralists’ final product, which will be mounted on the wall outside the first grade classrooms in the coming week. We hope this mural inspires you to make change, too!
– Evelyn Metta, associate teacher, and Katie Alexander, grade 1 teacher
Eighth Graders Examine Changing Gender Roles During WWII
Eighth graders continued their social studies unit about the United States in World War II this week with an emphasis on changing gender roles and expectations. They examined propaganda images and even listened to a popular 1942 song, “Rosie the Riveter,” as primary source materials. In addition to considering gender roles and expectations, the students learned about the LGBTQ community in military service. They are wrapping up the week by creating an infographic on Canva to share their learning about a topic of their choosing that was covered this week.
– Kate Burns, grades 7 & 8 social studies teacher
